The present invention relates to an automated system for inscribing information characters on a carrier chip. More specifically, the carrier chip is of the type designed for embedding into mineralized tissue in the human or animal body, or in valuable articles.
Airline crashes, wars and other disasters have resulted in a large number of human victims whose visual identification was impossible. Also, identifying valuable objects, such as jewelry, works of art, and other like articles upon recovery by police and other authorities has been most expensive and time consuming.
A method and structure for the rapid and low cost positive identification of human or animal bodies and valuable objects and general property control has been disclosed in applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 4,027,391, issued June 7, 1977 and applicant's Continuation-In-Part application, Ser. No. 771,744, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,168,586 filed Feb. 24, 1977. The method and structure therein described, refers to a miniature carrier chip on which is inscribed information positively identifying the human or animal or article in which the chip is embedded.
Typically, with respect to identification of humans the chip is embedded in a mineralized portion of the body, such as tooth, and the identifying information might include one's name, nationality and social security number. Teeth are relatively non-destructable and can withstand very high temperatures, thus even if the body is badly burned or decomposed the tooth with the carrier chip therein will remain intact. During the postmortem procedure the forensic odontologist will radiographically locate the carrier chip and thereafter remove it from the tooth for postmortem identification of the victim. Radiographic detection would likewise be used in the identification of valuable articles.
While the above-mentioned carrier chip is most advantageous in positive postmortem identification, or for the identification of valuable articles, a means for inscribing the identifying information on the carriers quickly and at a low cost is most desirable since there is a need for large numbers of the carrier chips. At least with respect to implanting the information carriers in the human body, it is anticipated that such could be performed during a routine visit to the dentist. After the dentist has excavated a cavity, and prior to his filling the cavity with an amalgam, or other restorative material, the carrier chip would be placed therein. Thus, an inscribing system which is maintained in the dental office and is affordable to the dentist or dental groups, and which can rapidly inscribe the identifying information onto the carrier with a minimal amount of training would be most beneficial.
These and other objects are accomplished by the automated inscribing system of the present invention.